Trial lawyers are getting the bum's rush at the Legislature, where a Republican supermajority -- led in the Senate by right-minded President Mike Haridopolos -- will push aggressively for tort reform next year.

Now that the Florida Supreme Court has given Amendments 5 and 6 a clear run to the Nov. 2 ballot, it's up to voters to decide whether the so-called FairDistricts proposals will make for improved representation in the Legislature and in Congress.

Unsuccessful in attempts to scuttle property insurance changes pushed by the industry, the state’s trial lawyer organization is turning its attention to a potentially more sympathetic target: Gov. Charlie Crist.

The Florida Justice Association is asking the governor to veto SB 2044, an industry-backed property insurance package that, among other things, makes it easier for companies to raise rates and requires policyholders to prove they are replacing the items that have been destroyed.